Victron dc- dc charger question

[mick qc]

I have the 30amp version. My van has the euro 6 engine.
Sometimes when I’ve been on a long drive it doesn’t seem to put much charge into my leisure batteries
below are Screenshots of my settings I haven’t connected an ignition feed and rely on the engine shutdown detection and the smart alternator settings.
Would I be better manually changing the settings.
As you can see I’ve got the lockout settings at 12.1 and 12.7
Thanks in advance

 

[Lenny HB]

With a smart alternator you have to disable the voltage lockout.
On my XS I disabled voltage lockout and engine detection and used the D+ to switch it and it works fine.

One problem with the 30 amp one they need to be in a well ventilated area with plenty of space around them or they get hot and reduce the output

 

[rod_vw]

I have the same device on a MAN TGE (VW Crafter in disguise) which exhibited the same problem. I have changed the settings to the following, note that my leisure battery is Lithium.
Alternator Type [User defined]
Start voltage [12.50] this may be a little low but it's working OK for the past three months.
Delayed start voltage [12.40]
Delayed start voltage delay [120s]
Shutdown voltage [12.25]

Input voltage lock-out [disabled]

I had similar figures quoted by someone else but have massaged them a little, i.e. the Start voltage quoted to me was even lower, as was the delayed start voltage.

There may be a penalty from this in that with limited vehicle use in the off season the leisure battery charging may rob the starter battery of charge. I'm watching that scenario with interest over the winter.

As Lenny HB says all of this can be eliminated with either a true D+ signal, which does not exist on my van, or a 'fake one' monitoring Ignition Live status.
To obtain the correct signal on a VW based vehicle it is necessary to wire a signal lead from the Body Control Module (BCM) and code it as active on that module. This signals when the alternator is actually generating and I believe may be able to disable the signal on occasions when 'load shedding' is necessary. I've done that on a VW T5 successfully but at this point don't think it's necessary on my TGE due to the difficulty of accessing the BCM to connect it. Many folks with the TGE simply use an Ignition Live signal.

 

[mick qc]

With a smart alternator you have to disable the voltage lockout.
On my XS I disabled voltage lockout and engine detection and used the D+ to switch it and it works fine.

One problem with the 30 amp one they need to be in a well ventilated area with plenty of space around them or they get hot and reduce the output

Yes the victron has a built in engine shutdown detection facility for the smart alternator.
I’m still wondering whether to fit an ignition feed but it’s a long way from the cab fuses to the battery charger or maybe I’m just being lazy

 

[StillGoing]

Does it have good ventilation? Has it been mounted vertically? Does it have good clearance around it? The 30A version gets very hot and when it does that, the charging current drops.

If you can afford to replace it with the relatively new 50A model (even running it at 30A), it runs a lot lot cooler, is more efficient and doesn’t drop the charging current.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Lenny HB]

Yes the victron has a built in engine shutdown detection facility for the smart alternator.
I’m still wondering whether to fit an ignition feed but it’s a long way from the cab fuses to the battery charger or maybe I’m just being lazy

Only need to be a very small wire its only a signal wire. You can normally pick it up off your distribution unit.

 

[mick qc]

I have the same device on a MAN TGE (VW Crafter in disguise) which exhibited the same problem. I have changed the settings to the following, note that my leisure battery is Lithium.
Alternator Type [User defined]
Start voltage [12.50] this may be a little low but it's working OK for the past three months.
Delayed start voltage [12.40]
Delayed start voltage delay [120s]
Shutdown voltage [12.25]

Input voltage lock-out [disabled]

I had similar figures quoted by someone else but have massaged them a little, i.e. the Start voltage quoted to me was even lower, as was the delayed start voltage.

So you disabled the lock out voltage.
Does that not mean the leisure battery will carry on taking charge from the starter battery

 

[mick qc]

Does it have good ventilation? Has it been mounted vertically? Does it have good clearance around it? The 30A version gets very hot and when it does that, the charging current drops.

If you can afford to replace it with the relatively new 50A model (even running it at 30A), it runs a lot lot cooler, is more efficient and doesn’t drop the charging current.

Yes there’s plenty of room around it and mounted vertically.
I knew I should’ve spent a bit more money and got the 50a one

Maybe it’s just me and it charges up plenty.

 

[ChrisL]

Try watching the Offgrid Power Solutions video on setting up your B2B.

 

[mick qc]

I have the same device on a MAN TGE (VW Crafter in disguise) which exhibited the same problem. I have changed the settings to the following, note that my leisure battery is Lithium.
Alternator Type [User defined]
Start voltage [12.50] this may be a little low but it's working OK for the past three months.
Delayed start voltage [12.40]
Delayed start voltage delay [120s]
Shutdown voltage [12.25]

Input voltage lock-out [disabled]

I had similar figures quoted by someone else but have massaged them a little, i.e. the Start voltage quoted to me was even lower, as was the delayed start voltage.

There may be a penalty from this in that with limited vehicle use in the off season the leisure battery charging may rob the starter battery of charge. I'm watching that scenario with interest over the winter.

As Lenny HB says all of this can be eliminated with either a true D+ signal, which does not exist on my van, or a 'fake one' monitoring Ignition Live status.
To obtain the correct signal on a VW based vehicle it is necessary to wire a signal lead from the Body Control Module (BCM) and code it as active on that module. This signals when the alternator is actually generating and I believe may be able to disable the signal on occasions when 'load shedding' is necessary. I've done that on a VW T5 successfully but at this point don't think it's necessary on my TGE due to the difficulty of accessing the BCM to connect it. Many folks with the TGE simply use an Ignition Live signal.

I have 2 x 130ah AGM batteries.
Do you think those settings would work for those batteries

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[mick qc]

Try watching the Offgrid Power Solutions video on setting up your B2B.

Cheers for that

 

[Lenny HB]

Have you disabled the split charge relay as that will effectively by pass the B2B.

 

[mick qc]

Cheers for that

They recommend lowering the start voltage to 13 which I will try I will also check how hot it gets on a long drive it’s not something I thought of before.

 

[mick qc]

Have you disabled the split charge relay as that will effectively by pass the B2B.

I’ve not got a split charge relay

 

[mick qc]

I think the Lowering of the start charge may be the fix

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[ChrisL]

They recommend lowering the start voltage to 13 which I will try I will also check how hot it gets on a long drive it’s not something I thought of before.

I have a ordinary alternator but dropping my start voltage made a big difference.

 

[rod_vw]

I have 2 x 130ah AGM batteries.
Do you think those settings would work for those batteries

Having not used a Victron 12-12-30 with AGM I'm not willing to comment.

I've just watched Offgrid Power Solutions video on setting up your B2B I will bare that in mind for mine over the winter.

So you disabled the lock out voltage.
Does that not mean the leisure battery will carry on taking charge from the starter battery.

I understand that setting the Shutdown voltage is preventing the B2B drawing off the starter battery below that voltage. It doesn't seem to be and I am three months into use with two four week periods of use in Europe.

However I can always be proved wrong!

 

[mick qc]

I have a ordinary alternator but dropping my start voltage made a big difference.

Yes when you change start voltage the “alternator type” tab changes to user defined anyway
Hers my new settings

 

[mick qc]

Thanks for all the help on this

 

[ChrisL]

I think the delayed start voltage should be a little lower then the start voltage unless the video says different.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[mick qc]

I think the delayed start voltage should be a little lower then the start voltage unless the video says different.

Yes. I think it moves automatically when you change the start voltage to a lower setting.

 

[Pausim]

I am having a Victron Orion 50A fitted by Reliance and they said that D+ activation is much more reliable than the Victron equation.

 

[Pausim]

Duplicate seems to be happening a lot today.

 

[yorkiebar]

I fitted one of those ciggie lighter socket voltage displays to our 2023 Ducato. I know they've not super accurate but having seen the voltage swings which occur with a smart alternator then I'd not rely on an algorithm to keep the B2B running! D+ wire all the way IMO.

 

[fishplug]

I've been looking into the new 50A Orion to see if it was worth me swapping my CTEK DS250 & Smartpass combo and saw that quite a few people add fans to cool down the older 30A Orions.

Might be worth a thought - but I have no personal experience of doing so.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Pausim]

I've been looking into the new 50A Orion to see if it was worth me swapping my CTEK DS250 & Smartpass combo and saw that quite a few people add fans to cool down the older 30A Orions.

Might be worth a thought - but I have no personal experience of doing so.

The Orion 50A is reported to run much cooler than the older 30A. The new electronics produce less heat.

 

[yorkiebar]

The Orion 50A is reported to run much cooler than the older 30A. The new electronics produce less heat.

Yes, and in a smaller form factor too.

 

[AdrianChen]

I've been looking into the new 50A Orion to see if it was worth me swapping my CTEK DS250 & Smartpass combo and saw that quite a few people add fans to cool down the older 30A Orions.

Might be worth a thought - but I have no personal experience of doing so.

We had a 30amp Orion, and after a short time at 30amps it would get hot and derate down to 24amps ish. So we changed that for a 50amp XS. This doesn't get much above warm!

 

[fishplug]

The new ones do seem better all round. Lighter, smaller, more powerful and don't get as hot.

I'm going to fit my CTEK back in the new van for now though as it puts out 120A and I can't quite justify the cost of 2 x Orion 50A just so it will show properly on my Pi Cerbo!

Maybe one day when I'm feeling rich...

 

[mick qc]

Yes I knew I should’ve got the 50a one
That’ll teach me to be tight

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}